Hand doll



M. C. WIRTH May l, 1951 HAND DOLL Filed Nov. 30, 1948 :NVE/vm. Ame/E c.W/.e Thi ,Patented May l, 1951 'Y uterino1 i PAIBNT-Q- OEEIQB v I. i12,551,195 nomic Marie C. Ecorse, Mich. Arriere?iilh'io, estremi per;

Myinvention relates to puppets, and more? 4particularly to thatItype"of"pupp`et 'wherein theihollowhea'd Vis secured to acostumeand'whereiifnf1 a puppete'ers lingers are adapted toVbe'insertedi-f in the vhollow head to manipulate thessamerelae-@t tiveto the costume.

Withthe foregoing in View, it is an object of" an improved puppet of' myinvention to provide the class described. l l

A further Objectis to provide an iin-proved'. puppet of the classdescribed wherein two pairs of limbs are connected'to appropriateportions. of the costume, and wherein a pair .of semi-rigid. connectorsare -utilized,"eaclf connector connecting'tw limbs' together for-maniulation simul-4v taneously by the puppeteer.

A furtherf'objectlis fto"'provide an improved puppet such as that lastdescribed, and which. includes'rieans providing a'fir'iger gripcarri'edi by each of the semirigid'connectors.

Other objects and advantagesv reside in the particular structur 'of the"invention, combina-1` thereof; l

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional View `taken at right anglesto the section of Figure 2 z and showing the manner of manipulating thedevice, the costume being shown in broken lines.

Referring specically to the drawing, wherein like reference charactershave been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, |0designates a puppet head which includes a neck portion formed with aperipheral groove I2 adapted to receive the neck portion of a costume.I3 therein. The neck portion of the costume is secured to the head byany suitable flexible tie member I4, Figure 2. The head I0 may be madeof any suitable material, and the costume I3 may be of any suitableform. Thus, the head IIJ, as illustrated, represents the head of a clownand the costume I3 is a .ciowns costume. Obviously, any suitable headvarid/or costume may be utilized as desired. Interior-ly., the head isformed with a hollow I5 adapted to receive av ringer I6 of themanipulator therein, as clearly shown in Figure 3, Also, the backportion of the costume I3 is formed with an opening I'I, Figure 2, for

the insertion'.therethroughofcthe handofftheH manipulatoix Obviously, bymoving the? finger-1: I6,' the manipulatonor puppeteer,V isablef/tomanipulate lthe head? in all'directions.m A v.' I'-f J'Th'e device ofvtheinventi'on' contemplates the adapted to be secured to appropriateportionsfl of the costume I3 in any suitable mannenirrI'n theembmiim'erit illustrated, the limbsfhave v.been

made of any suitable materialSandi'seeureditov appropriate portions. ofthercostume" If3ffinf"'any' suitablermannerh.' In' the embodiment.illustrated, f'

solid material Lifand slwrist 1i and! :ankle Y 'portions thereofaresiaiorm'ed with peripheral. 'grooves .211.9V

Figure i3, which :are adapted ftolhave appropriate l portions of"Vthecostume I 3'1"seatedfthereinriandf -securedpbynlexible ties, notshown, similar 'toi the.. ties@ l 1| for: the g'neck portionf fofftheicostume previously "described.l,Obviously,' if 'lthe hand's:

,and feet are made'A of textileimateria'l, theyma'y be readily sewed tothe costume I3.

A pair of semi-rigid connectors 2| and 22 are enclosed in the costumeI3. Each of the connectors connects two limbs of the puppet together forsimultaneous actuation respectively by fingers 21 and 28 of thepuppeteer. In the embodiment illustrated, an adjacent limb of each pairis connected together by the connectors 2| and 22. Also, in theembodiment illustrated, the connectors 2| and 22 comprise semi-rigidWires, the ends of which are enlarged or otherwise formed, as at 23, andsecured to the hands and feet I 8 and I9 in any suitable manner, as bybeing embedded therein. Also, it should be noted that each semi-rigidconnector includes a laterally-directed arm portion 24 and a dependingleg portion 25. The connectors 2| and 22 include means such as the loops26 providing nger grips for the fingers 27 and 28 of the puppeteer. Itis preferred that the loops 26 be adjustable as to size whereby topermit them to have a comfortable t with the :fingers of the puppeteer.This is readily accomplished by pushing or pulling on the adjacent armand leg portions 24 and 25, whereby to enlarge or reduce the size of theloop. In the embodiment illustrated, each of the connectors 2| and 22 islaterally inwardly bowed to provide the arm and leg portions 24 and 25.However, it is obvious that they could be angularly directed orotherwise formed to provide such portions. By prof.

viding them in the arcuate form illustrated, it is seen that a rockingmotion may be imparted to each connector as the same is manipulated bythe puppeteer.

In operation, the puppeteer may engage the puppet in a mannerillustrated in Figure 3, with the finger I6 inserted in the cavity I5for the head I0, and the fingers 21 and 28 engaging the finger grips 25of the semi-rigid connectors 2| and 22. Thereafter, by manipulating thefingers in a well known manner, the puppet may be animated to perform alarge number of life-like movements. Obviously, a skilled puppeteer maymanipulate a puppet in a wide variety of ways.

While I have shown a human figure, it is obvious that the device mightwell be equally applicable to an animal puppet. Also, while I have showna connector connecting specific limbs together, it is obvious that theycan be utilized to connect other limbs together. While I have shown anddescribed what is now thought to be a preferred embodiment of theinvention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of otherforms and expressions. Consequently, I

do not limit myself to the precise structure shown and describedhereinabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A puppet of the type including a flexible costume and a hollow headsecured thereto for manipulation by a nger inserted therein, comprisinga pair of hands and a pair of feet secured to appropriate portions ofsaid costume, a pair of semi-rigid wires, each wire being rigidlyconnected at each end thereof to one of said hands or feet, therebyoperatively Connecting an adjacent hand and foot together formanipulation simultaneously and serving as arm and leg membersrespectively therefor, said wires being laterally inwardly bowed towardeach other to form said arm and leg members, and each of said Wiresbeing formed with a loop intermediate the ends thereof for providing afinger grip.

grip-providing loop intermediate Said arm and leg portions.

3. A puppet of the type including a flexible costume and a hollow headsecured thereto for manipulation by a nger inserted therein, comprisinga pair of hands and a pair of feet secured to appropriate portions ofsaid costume, a pair of semi-rigid wires, each wire being rigidlyconnected at each end thereof to one of said hands or feet, therebyoperatively connecting an adjacent hand and foot together formanipulation simultaneously, said wires each including alaterally-directed arm portion and a depending leg portion, each wirebeing formed with a nger grip-providing loop intermediate said arm andleg portions, and said loops being adjustable to provide finger grips ofvarying sizes.

MARIE C. VVIRTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,518,576` Edwards Dec. 9, 19241,950,698 Sharran et al Mar. 13, 1934 2,302,349 Renshaw Nov. 17, 19422,433,555 Hulse Dec. 30, 1947

